Synthesis of the acetate of (±)-2,6-dimethylhepta-1,5-dien-3-ol — The racemic form of the sex pheromone of Pseudococcus comstocki

4-Methylpent-3-enal has been synthesized by the dehydration of trans-2-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-1-methoxycyclopropane, and this has been brought into reaction with propen-2-ylmagnesium bromide. Acetylation of the carbinol so formed gave the acetate of (±)-2,6-dimethylhepta-1,5-diene-3-ol — the racemic form of the sex pheromone of the Comstock mealybug.Scientific-Research Institute of Physicochemical Problems, V. I. Lenin Belorussian University, Minsk. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 747–748, September–October, 1988.